Many computer systems have graphical user interfaces (GUIs) through which an operating system and application software functionality is accessed. The GUIs can represent computer application programs, documents, and data files as graphically displayed GUI objects, such as icons and menus. Further, the GUI objects can be manipulated by a user to control and activate system and application functions. The user may manipulate GUI objects by means of an input device such as a mouse, keyboard, touch screen, etc. Microsoft Windows® and Apple Macintosh MacOS® operating systems are examples of common GUI-based computer operating systems that support GUI-based applications.
A well-designed GUI interface can facilitate a user's understanding and use of a software application. Some GUI objects, such as icons, can include a picture or other characteristic that is intended to suggest a function associated with the GUI object. Such function-suggesting GUI objects can assist a user in learning and operating a software application. For example, to remind a user how to access paintbrush functionality, a drawing application can use an icon bearing a picture of a paintbrush.
Groupings of GUIs with similar functions are often used in menus and/or control panels with an overall function. For example, a drawing tools menu may include a paintbrush tool, a pencil tool, and a crayon tool. Further, some GUIs in a control panel take the form of slider controls for accessing an adjustable software feature such as contrast, brightness, and transparency. Further, some control panels are circular and have slider controls arranged in a semi-circular fashion within the circular control panel. However, some circular slider controls are difficult for a user to manipulate.